Chicago White Sox announce major news

Apr 5, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox general manager and vice president Rick Hahn talks with the media before the White Sox home opening game against the Seattle Mariners at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago White Sox announced some major news on Tuesday.

The White Sox fired team president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn amid a terrible season for the franchise. The White Sox entered play on Tuesday 49-76, giving them a winning percentage of .392. This would mark the team’s third season since 2013 where they’ve had a winning percentage under .400.

The White Sox went through a rebuilding period in 2017 and 2018 where they won 67 and 62 games. They finally started to get it together in 2020, when they made the playoffs in the shortened season. The following season, the team went 93-69 and won the division for the first time since 2008. They went backwards last season and went 81-81. This season, the wheels have completely come off under first-year manager Pedro Grifol.

The White Sox sold some of their good players at the trade deadline, and traded away relief pitcher Keynan Middleton to the Yankees. The trade of Middleton likely ended up sparking the firings of Hahn and Williams.

Middleton said earlier this month that the White Sox had “no rules” in their clubhouse, which resulted in a poor culture for the team. Hahn tried to defend himself, but the comments probably were enough to cause White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf to act.

Hahn had been with the White Sox since 2002 and was promoted to GM after the 2012 season. Williams is a former White Sox player and began working in the front office in 1992. Williams became the team’s GM after the 2000 season and remained in that position until being promoted to president after the 2012 season.

This is a major development for a franchise that had incredible front office stability until now.